Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) National Surveillance Program

Scrapie has been present in Canada for almost 70 years. With the majority of countries around the world currently working to actively eradicate all transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, the continued presence of scrapie in Canada is preventing access to international markets including the United States. With your help, Canada can take action to eradicate scrapie.

The National Scrapie Surveillance Program:

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and several provincial agricultural ministries have launched a surveillance program to detect scrapie in the national sheep flock and goat herd. The goal is to identify every infected animal so that proper steps can be taken to completely eradicate the disease from our country.

The Producer’s Role

The surveillance program needs your on-farm mature deadstock. Eradication will only be accomplished if every source of the disease is found. Representation of the entire national sheep flock and goat herd needs to be tested. Do your part: submit your dead animals and encourage your neighbour to submit theirs.

Report all sheep and goat aged 12 months and older that die on your farm. As well, report mature animals exhibiting the following signs or symptoms:

Unexplained weight loss

Problems standing or walking

Changes in behaviour

Compensation

Compensation is available for any live animals ordered destroyed by the CFIA.

Keeping sheep and goats healthy

Manage the risk of scrapie showing up on your farm by either closing your female flock and testing all mature dead animals or by breeding for genetic resistance to scrapie. General biosecurity practices associated with farm visitors and animal husbandry (needles, taggers etc.) are also recommended.

SCRAPIE DISEASE CONTROL TIPS

If a district veterinarian is unclear of the application of the national scrapie program in a specific circumstance they are to contact one of the following individuals for program clarification or technical support:

the veterinary program network specialist responsible for domestic disease control programs in their province/area

the program network TSE specialist for their area

the senior staff veterinarian responsible for the National Scrapie Program